POWER STREET THEATRE COMPANY
MEET POWER STREET!
Gabriela Sanchez, Founder & Managing Director
Gabriela Sanchez, Founder and Managing Director of Power Street Theatre Company, has created a Womxn of Color- led multicultural theatre company with fellow artists, culturally producing, directing and starring in several powerful new plays.
Gabriela inspires and supports creative innovations among art and culture organizations, artists, youth and community residents- while centering the magic of collaboration and collective power. A Philadelphia native, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Temple University. Her former leadership roles include, Director of Education at Norris Square Neighborhood Project, Cultural Enrichment and Facility Manager at Taller Puertorriqueño and six years in residence at the Department of Recreation with Conflict Resolution Theater. As a teaching artist currently working for the Arden Theatre Company and Philadelphia Young Playwrights, Gabriela has used theatre to activate imaginations within diverse classrooms for over a decade. Gabriela is a proud recipient of the Leeway Art and Change Grant (2016), GALAEI David Acosta Revolutionary Award (2017), Knight Foundation Emerging City Champions Fellowship (2018) and keynote speaker with Quiara Alegría Hudes at the 2018 Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) Conference, Theatres of Revolution: Performance, Pedagogy, and Protest. She believes, “self care is creating time to activate your imagination or simply to rest.”
Gabi's superpower is she can make something out of nothing just like her abuela taught her.
Erlina Ortiz, Resident Playwright & Artistic Director
Erlina Ortiz is a Dominican-American playwright, actor, and theatre maker from Reading, PA based in Philadelphia. She graduated with a BA in Theatre from Temple University #templemade. Erlina wrote and directed Power Street Theatre Company’s first production MinorityLand, and has since had three other works developed and presented to positive reception with PSTC where she is proud to be resident playwright. Erlina is a member of The Foundry, a Philadelphia Emerging Playwrights Lab. She has received the Amtrak Writer’s residency (2016), Signal Fire Outpost Residency (2018), and her play She Wore Those Shoes had a developmental reading at Theatre Exile’s Studio X-hibition Series (2016). Erlina believes being an artist is a superpower, she believes in using her powers for good.
Erlina's superpower is empathy, and an ability to always see the other side even if she doesn't agree with it.
Asaki Kuruma, Resident Artist
Asaki Kuruma is originally from Yokohama, Japan, and has been working professionally for over a decade collaborating with many theater companies and artists in Philadelphia area, such as Curtis Opera, Pig Iron Theater Company, and Lantern Theater Company as a stage manager, wardrobe supervisor, and performer. Asaki has been focusing on costume design in 2018-2019 season, notably for Las Mujeres of Power Street's 2018 production, which she was honored for 2018 Surya Award by Bonaly Reviews. Other design credits are; Romeo & Juliet, Complete History of America (Abridged) (Commonwealth Classic Theater Company), Tiger Style! (Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists), Romeo & Juliet (Lantern Theater Company), and more to come! Asaki is also a graduate candidate for MA in Theater, Class of 2020 at Villanova University, where she is focusing on costume design
/construction and production management, as well as non-profit organization management to serve Power Street's mission and goal.
Asaki's super power is she can befriend with any dogs and cats!
Diana Rodriguez,
Resident Artist
Diana Rodriguez is an actress, costume designer and resident artist of Power Street Theatre Company. Best known for her portrayal of the eccentric and iconic artist Frida Khalo in Erlina Ortiz play Las Mujeres. This Puerto Rico native have been actively working with Power Street Theatre and Philadelphia theatre since she first moved to Philadelphia in 2014. She have worked in Productions like: Morir Sonyando,Shelter in Place,She wore those Shoes, Out of Orbit, El JEFE with the PYP organization, One Day Old and la Fabrica’s production of a 2.50 la Cuba Libre de Ibrahim Guerra this last ones under the direction of Jose Aviles. Diana is grateful of the opportunities and blessings she'd received from Philadelphia theatre community and first and foremost the Power Street family, Gabby, Erlina and Asaki who had always believed in her capability and talents and has inspired her to do better. Love y’all my darlings!
Diana's super power is the ability to morph and adapt into any role she plays.
Anjoli Santiago,
Resident Artist
Anjoli Santiago is a Temple graduate and was a successful teaching artist and actor for seven years in Philadelphia working with several theater companies in the area. She relocated to New York to be a full time Special Education teacher in the South Bronx and get her Masters in Education from CUNY City College. Her journey then carried her to the world of non-profit education and she is proud to be an Education Coordinator with Classroom Champions. There Anjoli works to innovate programming and bring support to teachers nationwide. Working with Power Street Theater Company, Anjoli brings her knowledge to enhance the education outreach experience.
Anjoli's super power is her Heart (a-la Captain Planet).